My Favorite Things - Google Reader

This post is part of a series of posts about my favorite things.  Click here to see the entire list.

I have used Google Reader for years.  It's the method I use to keep up with my favorite blogs.  Posts on those blogs are automatically delivered to my Google Reader, and I can read those posts from one place at my leisure. 

I currently subscribe to 25 blogs.  The list used to be much longer, but I weeded it down to just those blogs that I was very interested in and wanted to read on a regular basis.  I'm constantly adding to the list as I come across other blogs that interest me.

A while back I decided to subscribe to my favorite blogs by email, and have those blog posts delivered automatically to my email inbox rather than Google Reader.  But that became overwhelming and my inbox was soon overcome by those posts.  So I went back to receiving the blog posts in my Google Reader again and stopped the email subscriptions.  (My apologies to those favorite blogs of mine for bouncing around how my subscription is delivered.  I know that messes with your stats!)

Google Reader also has these cool statistics on what I read and how often I read it.  That's pretty cool to look at.  For example, since I started using Google Reader in 2009, I've read 13,799 blog posts.  That's crazy! 

I know there are other RSS readers out there, but so far Google Reader has worked for me the best.  It is browser-based, so I can use it on any computer with internet access.  I don't have to have a program installed on my computer.  I can also access Google Reader on my iPhone, which allows me to catch up on reading if I have a few minutes to kill away from home.

Google Reader has been on my favorites list for quite a while now, and I'm guessing it will remain there for some time to come.

If you'd like to read more about Google Reader, you can read about it here on Wikipedia.  And of course, Google can tell you all about it here. 

Do you have a favorite RSS reader?  Please share in the comments!

Weekly Favorites

I read a lot of blogs, ya'll.  I mean, a lot.  And the thing is, they are all quality blogs.  They all give me something that makes me laugh, makes me learn, or makes me mad (Yes, I like those too.  I'm open-minded!).

So I thought I would start something new here at The Journal Keeper.  I'll share a little bit about what I've read over the past week.  I know a lot of my blog friends are doing it, and I like that it's a great way to share blogs.

Anywho, I'm choosing Monday to be my "blog sharing day" because, well, I don't know why, really.  Just go with it, ok?  I haven't yet come up with a cool name for my Monday Blog Sharing posts, so if you have any suggestions, please put them down there in the comments!

The Blog Doctor: The Non-Niche Blog @ yes and yes

I have struggled for so long with not really having a niche that I felt comfortable claiming.  But I do love the idea of sharing my thoughts and my day to day journey.  I was so happy to come across this blog post by yes and yes.  She nailed it for me, and now I just have to start adhering to some of the points she mentioned.  Be patient, I'm working on it.

How to Manicure at Home @ Petit Elefant (by way of Just A Titch)

Oh. My. Gosh.  I loved this post for so many reasons.  First, I came across it at Just A Titch, which is one of my favorite blogs to read.  Second, I love lists, and this post lists out the step-by-step process for giving yourself an at-home manicure.  Win!  Third, I am a bad nail-biter, and have been relying on getting the "gel nails" now for a while.  But I'll be honest -- I'm not comfortable with the artificial nails for many reasons, and this gives me a great way to meticulously take care of my nails.  Now, if I could just get myself to sit still long enough to give myself a home manicure, life would be great.  But that's another issue.

Why Copying Inspires Creativity @ Write To Done

When I was a pre-teen, I was reading a book about teen life.  I don't remember the name of it or who wrote it.  But I do remember that the story drew me in and it was how I wanted my teen life to really be.  And for some reason that escapes my memory, I started to copy the story onto sheets of notebook paper, except I changed it a little bit to include the people in my life.  That was my first real experience of writing.  Ridiculous, I know, but I learned something during that first "copying" experience.  We all copy others in one form or another, except we learn a little something as we go.  I think that moment of copying was what spawned my desire and my need to create and to write.  This blog post brought back that memory, and made me realize that, although I am hard on myself about how far I've come in my writing, I'm still quite a ways from where I was in those pre-teen years.

How Irish Dancing Got Started @ Videos2View (by way of an email from my Mom)

Ok, this is just silly, but it made me laugh when I really needed it.  (Thanks, Mom!)  I didn't get it at first, but I finally realized what made it so funny.  If you get it at the beginning, don't tell me.  I don't want to feel like a doofus.

Writing to Write @ Kristie Was Here

This was another "Oh. My. Gosh" post that came at just the right time.  I've been suffering from the "I can't write anything because I'm stupid and should have never tried to be a writer in the first place" plague for a while now.  Say, almost TWO YEARS.  I quit a really good job in 2008 to "finish writing my novel and get it published and make millions of dollars."  You don't have to tell me how stupid I was.  I already know.  Anyway,  this post made me realize that since that very moment when I was trying to be a full-time writer, I have been trying to write for other people.  I have been trying to write what I thought other people wanted to read.  I lost my voice.  I lost my drive.  I had forgotten the reason that I started writing in the first place:  because it was what I was meant to do.  And so because of that I have been reborn, in a sense, and I'm trying to find my own voice again.  This blog is helping.  So, thanks for that, Kristie.  :)

Alright, that's enough for me.  What other goodies do you all have to share with me?  C'mon, I'm always looking for something good to read!  Please share in the comments below!

The Tool That Helps Me Remember The Milk

Today's installment of My Favorite Things focuses on the one electronic tool that helped me break my 20-plus-year paper planner habit.

Remember The Milk is perfect for those who love to make lists and keep up with to-dos.  It's an application that comes as a downloadable client, a web-based application, and an iPhone app.  All of the tools sync together (once every 24 hours with the free version, and unlimited with the paid version), so you can access your lists whether you're at your desk, at a friend's house, or at the grocery store!

When I used a paper planner, I religiously wrote down all of my tasks and lists.  Oh, the lists -- I had a slew of them!  I was constantly rewriting the tasks I didn't complete on a certain day, or the tasks that recur on a regular basis.  Worse than that, though, was that my planner grew to be so large, I rarely took it with me when I left the house.  That meant that I frequently forgot those items in my lists.  I wasted a lot of time.

I love Remember The Milk because it helps me keep track of all of the tasks and lists I used to keep in my paper planner.  I don't have to rewrite a task if I don't get to it today -- it will faithfully show up to remind me tomorrow.  I don't have to waste time and gas running errands that I forgot to do while I was already out, and I don't have to go back to the grocery store when I've forgotten an item.  Remember the Milk literally helps me to remember the milk!  

I can also stay focused by creating several different lists.  I have a list for chores, books I want to read, my goals, shopping... all kinds of subjects to keep my life organized.

I use Remember the Milk on the web so I can use it while I'm at my computer, and I also have it on my iPhone to review and update when I'm out and about.  I haven't used the download client yet, because I really haven't needed it.

Remember The Milk has truly, truly transformed my life.  I'm not getting paid to say that -- I really mean it!  If you're looking for an app to help you stay organized and on task, give it a look see!

My Favorite Things

I'm starting to use this blog more as a place to keep track of things that are interesting to me, what I'm doing, where I'm going, and such.  So far I have shared my bucket list, my favorite blogs, my journey to build a better blog, and my goals for the year.

Today I started a page for my favorite things.  My tastes change frequently, but I thought it would be fun to make a list of those things that bring me joy, feed my soul, help me to be a better person, and just make my days more enjoyable.

You can find this pages and the others I have created over there on the right under "Other Stuff."

Do you have a favorite item that I should try?  Post your suggestions in the comments below!